MLP: Dark Times
by DarkTeddiursa
Summary: A horrible war is happening in Equestria, the war between Celestia and a enemy simply known to ponykind as the Unknown. When Ponyville is under siege of attack from some of the Unknown's agents, Celestia sends her own daughter, Twilight Sparkle, to help them not only ward of the attack, but also to uncover Ponyville's secret - a secret that could help them win this war at last. AU
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: So I've been wanting to write a Friendship is Magic fanfic for a while, but couldn't think of any good ideas. I had the idea of one with an OC, but that got scrapped, then a PinkieShy fanfic (which is still in the works)...  
**

**Then, recently, I came up with an idea. A sort of 'dystopian reality' retelling of Season 1 of Friendship Is Magic, a darker version of the events that caused Twilight to meet her friends and how they faced Nightmare Moon. Again, probably been done before, but this is my own take on it.  
**

**Please enjoy! And please review. I would love to know what you think.  
**

**Prologue**

It was dark. Cold.

The sky was never completely colourless in Equestria, even at night. But right now, on this dark winter's evening, the sky just seemed so... grey. A dark smokey grey, with a few streaks of navy and royal blue just barely visible. The clouds hung menacingly above, black and grey shadows threatening lightning and thunder.

Why? Oh, why on this particular night had they decided to send _her _out on a scouting mission? Why not a stronger flyer or navigator?

Why her?

Derpy, of course, knew the answer to this. She wasn't as stupid as all the other ponies thought she was. She knew that Cloudsdale couldn't spare anypony else. All the other agents were either helping the civilians of their hometown get to safety, out lending a hoof to the other cities and towns in Equestria, or...

Or they were on the battlefield.

Derpy shuddered, and it _wasn't_ because of the cold.

_Stay focussed, Derpy, you can't mess this one up, _she thought. Everyone was counting her, she _couldn't_ let them down.

Derpy continued her flight across the gloomy skies, her grey fur almost acting camoflage. This gave her some comfort: if any enemies were coming this way, they would have to strain their vision to see her. Unfortunately, she herself would have to strain her eyes. It was bad enough that it was a misty, windy, and that rain was falling from the sky, heavier than she could ever remember it falling before. Even on the clearest of days, her eyesight had never been particularly good.

After flying a little longer, she began to panic. What if she had missed it? What if she had past her destination ages ago, and just hadn't seen it?

_Stay calm, Derpy, _she ordered herself. If she panicked too much, her wings might close up on her, and then she would **really** would be in trouble.

The wind battered against her, growing more violent every second, but she flew on. She looked down, but realised she couldn't see far down in this fog, so she flew a little lower. She surveyed her path. She could just about see the tops of the bare trees, their leafless limbs stretching out like claws towards her. She could also hear the rushing of water. A river, maybe? Slightly distracted by this, she didn't notice the giant gust of wind coming straight for her, a huge current that slammed into her, pushing her back. The shock caught the grey pegasus off guard.

Her wings closed.

The wind gave a terrifying roar as Derpy Hooves plummeted to the ground.


	2. Chapter 1: Outcast

**(Author's Note: Next chapter! Woot!  
**

**Also, special thanks to my first reviewer, XStrawberryDuckFeathersX, for not only giving me a lovely review of the prologue, but also for helping me correct a couple of things in it. I have a tendency to miss out words when writing... or write a completely different word from the one I intended to write O.o' Seriously, one time I was writing an essay for Philosophy about the goodness of God, and I wrote 'food' instead of 'good'. I have no idea why... I'm only glad I noticed it before handing it in. That would have been embarrassing.  
**

**Anyway, this is the next chapter of my story. I hope you enjoy!)  
**

**Chapter 1: Outcast**

The Royal Canterlot University library. The greatest collection of books in all Equestria. At least, that's what Twilight Sparkle kept trying to remind anypony who came in looking for a book.

She was only an assistant librarian, working part-time between her studies, but she took her duties very seriously. Twilight took everything seriously and never cut corners. Her motto was "If you're going to do something, you might as well do it right." Which is probably why, when Mr Bookworm had asked her to do a little tidying up, she had ended up completely reorganizing the library. Now, having finished this task, she had decided to take a break and started reading a book she found on one of the shelves when she had been cleaning. Completely absorbed in her reading, she didn't notice the two unicorns walking up behind her.

"Twilight? Psst! Twilight!"

Twilight made a irritated noise. She hated it when her reading was interrupted. She found books far more interesting than other ponies, and better company too. Even so, she politely turned round to face the other unicorns

The first unicorn was white with a pink mane. Twilight recognised this particular pony as one of her classmates, a quite popular pony by the name of Twinkleshine. Twilight knew this particular unicorn quite well, not because they were friends, but because Twinkleshine had a tendancy to always bother Twilight while she was trying to work.

The unicorn next Twinkleshine, a blue mare with a hourglass for a cutie mark, Twilight felt a little more warmth towards. This unicorn was called Minuette - though was often referred to by her friends as Colgate - and was one of the only students at the University that Twilight considered her intellectual equal. Minuette, like Twilight, actually enjoyed studying, and spent quite a lot of her time in the library. Minuette wasn't particularly gifted when it came to magic, but she did have a strange ability: she always knew exactly what time it was without looking at the clock. Twilight didn't really have any friends, but if she could, she would have liked Minuette to be her friend.

Of course, that would mean having to put up with Twinkleshine all the time as Minuette and the white unicorn were never far apart.

Twilight forced a smile as she looked at the two unicorns. "May I help you?" she said with awkward politeness.

Twinkleshine, apparantly ignorant to Twilight's annoyance, began her speech. "Twilight, I was just talking to Minuette about tonight and I was wondering..."

Twilight sighed inwardly. Once Twinkleshine started talking, it was difficult to get her to shut up. She glanced at Minuette, who was looking back at her apologetically. One day, Twilight was going to ask the blue unicorn why she hung out with Twinkleshine. I mean, did the two even have anything in common? Twilight didn't know a lot when it came to friendship - it was one of the few things she didn't know everything about - but she felt that there had to be some similiarites between friends. Otherwise, what would they talk about? What would be the point?

"Twilight, are you listening?"

Twilight snapped of her daydream. "Huh?"

"Your dress!" Twinkleshine repeated, her face full of annoyance.

Twilight blinked. Her dress? She wasn't wearing a dress. "What dress?"

"Your dress to the Ball, of course!" Twinkleshine sounded exasperated. "What kind of dress are you wearing?"

Twilight was still none-the-wiser. "What ball?"

Twinkleshine gave a loud, and somewhat rude sigh. She turned to Minuette. "Colgy, I thought you told her."

Minuette's ears flattened against her head. "Sorry, it must have slipped my mind," she said in a soft, quiet voice.

Twinkleshine sighed again before turning back to Twilight. "I got us tickets for the Grand Galloping Gala in a few months time. Big party. It's gonna be great!" the white unicorn gave an excited squeal as she clapped her front hooves together, her face the picture of child-like joy.

Twilight, however, didn't share her enthusiasm. "Sorry, Twinkleshine, I can't go," she said, her tone severely deadpan.

Twinkleshine's expression turned from delight into a comical gape. "Why not!?" she whined.

Twilight sighed. "Well, if you must know, I've got quite a lot of work-"

"Work!?" Twinkleshine practically screeched.

Twilight continued as if she hadn't been interrupted. "And then I've got to study for the big test next term."

Twinkleshine still looked horrified. "But... I bought us tickets so we could all go together!"

Starting to feel somewhat uncomfortable, Twilight turned away. "Again, sorry," she mumbled quickly before walking off, taking her book with her.

Twinkleshine began to shake. She put a hoof to her forehead and looked up dramatically. "This is too much for me, Colgate, too much..."

Minuette, having developed a sixth sense when it came to Twinkleshine's moods, just managed to catch Twinkleshine as the white unicorn gave a dramatic faint. Minuette gave a sigh. "Must you always be such a drama queen?"

Twinkleshine was too busy pretending to be unconscious from shock to answer her friend's question.

* * *

Queen Celestia stared out the castle window, her face grim as she saw the first flash of lightning. Back in the days of old, the weather would have never been like this. The sun would be shining, the sky would be clear and cloudless, a perfect stretch of numerous shades of blue. But now, the weather of Equestria was almost always bleak. The pegasi who would have normally kept the sky clear were all out on the battlefield, fighting a war they couldn't possibly understand. Many would die.

And it was all her fault.

Celestia quickly shook her head at this thought. No. She shouldn't think this. Her actions, though horrible, had been justifiable. If she hadn't done it, things would be even worse than they were now. Celestia tried to remind herself this as she looked at the sky. You couldn't even see the sun anymore these days. Even though she rose the sun everyday, it's golden beams were always trapped behind a curtain of grey cloud.

The doors to the throne room swung open.

"Your majesty! Your majesty!"

Celestia turned her head as a unicorn knight came running in.

"What is it?" she asked. She guessed already by the sweat on his forehead and the fear in his eyes that anything he had to say was surely bad knews.

When the knight had finally caught his breath, he looked up at his queen. "I bare news from Ponyville."

Celestia's eyes widened."Ponyville..." she repeated. No. No, they couldn't have. It wasn't possible.

"Your majesty..." the knight paused for a second. "The enemy. They are attacking Ponyville."


	3. Chapter 2: Defender

**(Author's Note: Okay, I'm not particularly proud of this chapter. This chapter is more action-y... I'm not very good at writing action or description that well. I prefer writing character and dialogue. However, as this is a story about war, action is kind of inevitable. **

**So, anyway, here is the second chapter. Please enjoy!)  
**

**Chapter 2: Defender**

Rarity's eyes fluttered open. It was the noise that had awoken her.

Shouting, screaming, a crackling noise...

The fire of cannons.

Rarity rolled ungracefully out of bed, panicked. Her violet hair, normally quite well-styled, was currently a frizzy mess, covering her face.

"Sweetie! Sweetie!" she called, her voice high and thin. She stumbled to her hooves. "Sweetie Belle!"

"Rarity?"

Rarity looked up. A small, frightened face peered at her from the doorway. Rarity just managed a sigh of relief. "Sweetie..." she said. At least she was still here. That was acomfort.

Sweetie Belle's eyes possessed a tired look to them. A little teddy bear was on her back. "What's going on?" she said with yawn. "What's happening?"

Another boom of canon fire sounded out. Sweetie Belle looked alarmed all of sudden.

Rarity glanced at the window. The streak of fiery orange against the sky confirmed her fears. She turned back to her younger sister.

"Pack your things, Sweetie," Rarity said firmly. "We're leaving. Tonight."

* * *

Applebloom couldn't remember being so afraid in her life.

They had come in the night, when no one had been expecting them. They always had known that it was only a matter of time before the enemy reached Ponyville. Applebloom's sister Applejack had spent the last two months setting up a warning system and several defences around their town.

"Nopony is getting through here without us knowing now," Applejack had said the day the preparations had been done, an easy and relaxed smile on her face. Applebloom could never understand how her sister managed to keep smiling in such desperate times. Her Granny Smith and big brother Macintosh also had the same strange optimism. The Apple family spirit, Granny Smith called it. However, Applejack's confidence had been misplaced.

By the time the sentry's warning horn sounded, it was too late.

Ponyville was under attack, and the enemy was moving in.

The Enemy. That's what everypony else always called them. What else could they call them? They didn't belong to a nation, to a city or town. They were simply the Enemy. Agents of the Unknown.

Applebloom cowered from behind her hiding place. The smell of sulfur stung her nostrils. She could hear her sister's voice calling above the sound of the fire.

"Fire!" Applejack shouted. Again and again. "Fire!"

Applebloom wished she was at home, at Sweet Apple Acres farm, curled up in her nice warm bed. Instead, here she was, watching her sister command a handful of town ponies in what seemed a pointless battle. The enemy had far more soldiers, all trained to fight. The civilians of Ponyville were not only few in number, but there were even fewer who actually knew how to fight. Even the unicorns who Applejack had ordered to form a line around the centre of town and shoot spells at any enemy soldiers weren't doing to well: they had only ever used their magic for either farming or creating artwork.

Applebloom suddenly felt a strange feeling, a presense, and turned. She screamed. An enemy soldier had been standing right behind her. This creature barely resembled a pony: instead of fur, it's body was covered in black scales. It had wings, but unlike a pegasus, they were not covered in feathers, but instead resembled that of a bat or dragon's. But what terrified Applebloom most of all was the creature's teeth: they weren't like pony's teeth at all. They were long, sharp, canine teeth.

Applebloom screamed as the creature lunged at her.

THWACK!

There was a flash of red in Applebloom's vision, and then suddenly she saw her brother, Big Macintosh, standing in front of her, kicking the bat-pony backwards.

Big Macintosh, as his name would suggest, was a large, muscular pony, quite tall and bright red in colour. Though usually a quiet, shy but rather wise pony, Big Mac currently wore a face of animalistic aggression, glaring at the creature. The bat-pony stood up, ready to attack.

"Think you're tough enough?" Mac snarled, his eyes glinting with anger.

The bat-pony paused for a second. Then fled.

Applebloom breathed a sigh of relief. Then Macintosh turned to her.

"What are you doing, Applebloom?" her brother said, the anger still lingering in his features. "It's dangerous here."

Applebloom, still shaken from the attack, didn't respond. A single tear of fright floated down her cheek.

Macintosh sighed. He didn't noticed the figure walking up behind him. "Look it's going to be-"

He didn't get to finish.

Macintosh made no sound besides a horrified gasp. He looked down to see the sword point penetrating his stomach, a trickle of blood running from his mouth, down his chin.

Macintosh collapsed.

Applebloom stared, unmoving at her brother, a splatter of red on her face. She then looked up at his assassin, her eyes watery.

The assassin smirked at her, baring its teeth. It was another bat-pony-creature, like the one who had attacked Applebloom before. However, this one was smaller and wasn't dressed in the usual enemy armor. It instead wore a dark green cloak, the same colour as its narrowed eyes. Applebloom would remember those eyes, full of malicous joy. Those eyes would haunt her nightmares.

With one last look of triumph, the assassin turned from Applebloom and ran off, melting into the shadows.

Applebloom blacked out.

* * *

"Fire!" Applejack called.

The sound of a cannon shot shattered the air. Far at the back of enemy ranks, several soldiers met their end as the cannonball crashed into them.

"Fire!" Applejack called again.

A second cannon shot. More enemy soldiers fell.

Applejack tried to give a grin of triumph as she saw the enemy ranks shrinking, but the smile was grim, tainted with a sense of inevitably that seemed to swirl round them. The Enemy was weakening but how much longer could Ponyville last? How much longer before...

"Applejack?"

Applejack turned to one of the ponies on at the cannons, a yellow mare with a greasy orange mane. The darkness of her expression worried Applejack instantly.

"Applejack, we're out of cannon balls," the yellow mare said, her emerald eyes expressing an emotion Applejack couldn't read. Was it fear, shame, regret? Applejack didn't know.

"Are you sure we don't have anymore, Carrot Top?" Applejack asked desperately.

The yellow mare, Carrot Top, shook her head.

Applejack sighed. "Then we're done for."

"Not yet we're not!"

Applejack and Carrot Top turned as a new cannon was wheeled next to them. All the other ponies manning the cannons look in shock. It was a large cannon, painted a bright and dizzying pink, with little pictures of balloons marked on it. But what was more surprising was who was manning the cannon.

"Pinkie, what are you doing!?" Applejack shouted.

The new arrival was a young Earth pony mare, bright pink in colour, with a frizzy ruby mane. Her eyes were a beautiful blue and shone with a powerful brightness. This mare was infamously known throughout the town as Pinkie Pie, who worked at the local bakery, Sugarcube Corner.

She was also known for being completely and utterly insane.

"Don't worry, AJ," Pinkie said cheerfully, walking over to the two other ponies. "We've got this under control."

Carrot Top frowned. "Who's 'we'?"

Pinkie, seeming not to have heard Carrot Top's question, motioned to an unseen figure behind the cannon. "Light 'em up, Gummy."

Behind the cannon, a small green creature stood with a lit match in its jaws. It obediantly placed the match against the cannon's fuse.

"We don't have time for this," Applejack hissed, put her hoof against her face.

Pinkie's cannon fired.

However, what came out of Pinkie's cannon wasn't a cannon ball. Instead of a loud CRACK, the cannon gave a sharp hiss. Applejack looked up see a strange cloud of reddish-pink gas forming over the town.

Applejack turned to Pinkie. "Pinkie, what is- Wait, why are you wearing a gas mask!?"

Sure enough, Pinkie had a gas mask wrapped round her face. Pinkie pulled too other gas masks out of seemingly nowhere and handed them to Carrot Top and Applejack. "You might want to put these on," she said, her tone still as cheerful as before.

Confused, Carrot Top and Applejack obeyed, placing the gas masks over their faces.

Applejack looked towards the cloud of smoke in the sky, which was now fading and drifting down on the Enemy soliders, who suddenly stopped. Then, without warning, all the enemy soldiers collapsed, falling to the ground.

Applejack gasped. "Poison?"

Pinkie shook her head. "No, no. Just a simple sleeping gas, my own recipe." There was the tinist hint of pride in the pink ponies voice.

Applejack turned to Pinkie, her eyes wide with both shock and admiration.

Carrot Top gave a nod. "Impressive," she murmured. She then glanced behind them. "But, erm... what about _them_?"

AJ and Pinkie glanced behind them. It appeared that the sleeping gas had not only affected the enemy, but now a couple of their own fighters had a sleepy look in their eyes, some already collapsed on the floor. Applejack was just glad Pinkie had given them the gas masks.

"Hmm... perhaps I should have given all our soldiers a gas mask... Oh well, they'll wake up soon enough," Pinkie said.

Applejack looked back at the fallen Enemy soldiers. "In the mean time, we should get rid of this lot before they wake up," she said.

"Sounds like a plan," Carrot Top said.

"Perhaps we should get Big Mac," Applejack said thoughtfully. "Providing he himself isn't asleep." Applejack looked around. She frowned. Where was Big Macintosh anyway?

"I'll go find him," Carrot Top offered. Applejack nodded gratefully, then watched as the yellow mare went off to search. Applejack then turned back to the enemy soldiers.

"Well..." she said with a sigh. "Might as well get to work."


End file.
